Already 5 games in and Mandanda is looking every inch a solid goalkeeper. The "Steeeeeeve" chant is genius.

"Look at that. Accident blackspot? These aren't accidents! They're throwing themselves into the road gladly! Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness!"

Along with Townsend, Tomkins and Benteke!!

All four are looking like steels. What West Ham would do to have Tomkins back now? Benteke is just world class and perfect fit for our play. And Townsend could be sold any day of the week for twice what we bought him for.

I can't not believe people had the audacity to give Parish and co a hard time during the transfer window, the guy has done genius business!!

AP made it pretty clear in his post match comments on Sky: when the free kick is a certain distance out then the wall jumps because if the ball goes under the wall it won't go in (presumably because the keeper will have time to get across and down to it); when the free kick is closer to goal the wall doesn't jump because if the kick is drilled under the wall the keeper wouldn't have time to react. Pardew said the problem on Friday was that the free kick was in no man's land between the two distances. He said 'that's something we'll have to look at'.

For what it's worth the pundits' consensus on Sky seemed to think the wall should have 'been on their toes and stood tall' rather than actually jumping.

I think people usually say that if the striker has the skill to get the ball up and over the wall and dipping enough to go under the bar then, hat's off, it's a good free kick.

Perhaps the goal was stoppable if the wall had jumped but it just shows how very fine the margins are (as did the disallowed 'winning' goal).

Think the wall did the right thing - not to jump. But should after have pointed out to ref Moss that it was supposed to be an indirect free kick. Which means at least 2 players need to touch ball before it is in the net.

This is similar to what I was thinking. With Steeeeve in goal I don't feel nervous at all, when Hennessey made a good save I celebrated almost as if we had scored, now I'm like I was when Jules was between the sticks, you sort of expect it.